We learned very quickly that there were going to be obstacles. As a small, independent boutique with no cash flow, no buying power, no marketing budget and a very limited number of suppliers who were not so plus size friendly - we had a quick introduction to the reality of business. It was ok though - certainly not anything that our enthusiasm couldn't overcome. We'd be creative and we'd win our customers over with customer service. We'd go above and beyond and do everything that we could to make things work. We'd find creative ways to market out business - like going on the Dragon's Den last Spring. We'd rely on word of mouth and we'd make sure that that word of mouth was overwhelmingly positive. We'd make our own clothing line overseas and make sure that we had the styles our customers wanted, in the sizes they needed, at the price they were willing to pay. And we'd do all this with a smile on our face.
We spent the first two years of our business overcompensating for everything we wanted to do but couldn't do properly. We'd drive across the city at 11pm to bring someone a dress, we'd express items in overnight at our cost so that our customers could have a top or dress they needed for an event. We'd drive hours away, across the border to pick up shipments that wouldn't be delivered to Canada. We sent personal emails and had in-store parties in an effort to connect with our customers. And our customers were wonderful and supportive and encouraging and patient, and then more patient and more understanding... and eventually confused and then eventually frustrated and disappointed. Why are the sizes cut so small? Why are there no 4 or 5xs? Where is the career wear/ jeans/boots/Babyphat (insert need here), when were the sweaters and coats coming in... was this all we had? And we apologized and explained, and apologized some more... we apologized so much that we couldn't keep up with what apologies we'd already used. We'd be apologizing about the lack of stock and explaining the situation when our customers would chime in "new stock is coming next week"... Uh huh, and make sure and come back... please... come back:)
We turned down the Dragons last Spring for $250,000 because they wanted half of what we saw as a great, growing business. We'd had sales of almost $700,000 in 2008 and we knew the potential was limitless. Unwilling to part with 50% of our company and coming off of a very successful dress season, we decided to go it alone and continue to grow our business as we always had. We opened a new beautiful store in Woodbridge and things were great. When the Recession started in September, we weren't prepared for what that would do to us. We had no contingency plan and although we'd faced many slow periods up until that point, we hadn't foreseen an all out economic shut down. Things spiraled downwards quickly for us as we attempted to save our first store from closing, while growing this new business. By Christmas we were holding on for dear life, resigned to the fact that we'd have to walk away from Woodbridge in order to save our business.
2009 has been an entire year of struggles. We've had to deal with some hard facts. Many of our suppliers have either gone bankrupt over the year, or have had to cut out their plus size division. Other plus size suppliers cut out their larger sizing and were behind with their own production. Even if we had the money, there was nothing to buy.
We've had a particularly slow Fall season and a very slow Christmas season. There are a lot of reasons - from a non-existent marketing budget and zero advertising, to a lack of inventory. Customers have been conditioned this year to shop sales and it's hard to get a fair price on anything that hasn't made it to the Clearance rack. As well, clothing isn't something people are buying at Christmas time. Women are shopping for their families and friends, not for themselves.
We worry about the fate of our business - wrestling with the decision to close our doors, or to push through. So in my final moments I'm asking myself, have I done all I can? Have I exhausted every avenue and given 110%? I know I've spent a lot of time agonizing over this business. I've wallowed in self pity, I've complained to friends and family, and I've stared at the wall in despair but was I proactive? Did I step up like a true Entrepreneur should during trying times? I guess I could do more. No, I KNOW I could do more. And at the end of the day I want to be able to say "I am a strong, resilient woman and I have made it!" So I've started this blog - 101 ways to save Maximum Woman. 101 contributions I can make to put the life back into my business, and the passion back into my life.
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